


Fourth Age: Family Reunion

by J_Flattermann



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-26
Updated: 2014-07-26
Packaged: 2018-02-10 13:42:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2027226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Flattermann/pseuds/J_Flattermann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gimli decides to introduce Legolas to his parents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> *) Athdara - is a fantasy dwarf name created by the dwarf name generator: http://dwarf.namegeneratorfun.com.

Fourth Age Middle-earth: Family Reunions  
A Humoresque in two Acts  
Play based on the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien  
Characters: Legolas, Gimli  
In Erebor: Gloin, Athdara*) - Gimli’s mother  
At Valinor: Elrond, Celeborn  
In Minas Tirith: King Elessar, Queen Arwen  
In Mirkwood: King Thranduil, Twins Elladan & Elrohir Undomiel

 

 **Prologue**  
Curtain opens to the plains leading to Erebor, the Lonely Mountain visible in the background.  
Legolas riding Hasufel, Gimli riding a Hobbit pony given to him by the citizens of Hobbiton.

 

Legolas: Say, friend Gimli. Do you really believe this is a good idea, me visiting your family.

Gimli (grinning in his beard): Sure! Why? Are you nervous?

Legolas (sheepishly): A little bit, my friend. Have you forgotten Elves and Dwarves have not been living in friendship for a long time since.

Gimli: Don’t be afraid, friend Legolas. The animosity between our people are long in the past. Have we not fought side by side against Sauron? What ever lay between Dwarves and Elves is long forgotten.

Legolas (speaking to himself): I only wished I were as sure as you are, friend. Alas, I fear this is not the brightest of our ideas yet.

They are riding side by side for a while in silence.

Legolas: How long, friend Gimli until we reach the Lonely Mountain?

Gimli (struggling to hide his laugh): Not long now, we’re almost there. Surely before sundown.

Legolas turning around staring at the sun slowly sinking in the West, sighing deeply.

Curtain falls.


	2. First Act: Erebor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gloin and his wife welcome the visitor and their son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *) Athdara - is a fantasy dwarf name created by the dwarf name generator: http://dwarf.namegeneratorfun.com.

Fourth Age Middle-earth: Family Reunions  
A Humoresque in two Acts  
Play based on the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien  
Characters: Legolas, Gimli  
In Erebor: Gloin, Athdara*) - Gimli’s mother  
At Valinor: Elrond, Celeborn  
In Minas Tirith: King Elessar, Queen Arwen  
In Mirkwood: King Thranduil, Twins Elladan & Elrohir Undomiel

 

**Act 1**

Curtain opens. 

The remodelled entrance to Erebor. The two stone-hewn dwarves carved out of the mountain restored to their former glory.  
Under neath those sentinels standing Gloin and his wife staring out into the light of the sinking sun, shielding their eyes against the light.  
Gimli and Legolas are seen as black dots which are slowly growing in size.

Athdara (wringing a handkerchief): Are they? Those two dots, Gloin, are they?

Points in direction where Gimli and Legolas slowly approaching from.

Gloin (strains eyes against the sun): Possibly! Most likely, from how they are growing in size whenever I am staring at them.

Athdara: Who’s with him then? That long thin stick like - there.

Gloin (shrugs shoulders): Woman, how should I know? I can see them as well as you.

Athdara (in a whining voice): I just thought. It was you who took him away to that place - what was its name - Riverdell.

Gloin (impatient): Rivendell, woman, Rivendell! Not Riverdell, R I V E N D E L L! For Aulë’s sake!

The two riders are close by now and one can hear Gimli shouting “Mother! Father!” as he kicks his pony’s flanks making it fall into a canter. Legolas raises his eyebrow but before he can encourage his Rohirrim mare, Hasufel has begun to trod keeping up easily with the pony.

Gloin and Athdara walk out and Gimli reaching them jumps off his pony rushing into his parents open arms.

Gimli (almost sobbing with joy): Mother, Father, oh it is so good to see you again. It has been so long - too long. Forgive me that I have not returned home earlier.

Legolas stands further back holding the reins of Hasufel and the pony, watching.  
Gloin musters him with furrowed brows.

Gloin (walking round Legolas and the animals): Should I know you? I am sure I should!

Legolas (blushing, shrugs): I am not sure, from Rivendell maybe. I was there during the Council of Elrond.

Gloin (scratching his head): I could have sworn I have seen you somewhere else. It will come back to me, it surely will.

 

Legolas rolls his eyes as Gloin turns his back and blows in relief a strand of his hair out of his face.

Legolas (to himself): I hope you have a bad memory, father Gloin.

Athdara (waving Gloin and Legolas): What bad hosts we are, Father. Come, come over here. Be welcome.  
(Turning towards Gimli): Say my boy, who is your lovely girl-friend.

Gloin (snorting): Woman, that is no girl - it's an Elf; a male Elf on top.

Athdara: An Elf, ah, and how pretty. Come young elf-maid, don’t be shy. Is this your first visit at Dwarves?

Gimli (embarrassed): Mommy, this is Legolas. He is an Elfin Warrior. We were fighting the enemy together.

Gloin (murmuring): Legolas? Legolas? Heard that name before! Where? Where?  
I’m sure I’ve seen that fella before. I’m sure. When? It’ll come to me. It will.

 

Next scene - Inside the residence of Gloin and Athdara. Gimli and Legolas standing on the right hand side of the dining room, Gimli explaining the history depicted on a tapestry. In the middle of the stage is a large table with four chairs.

Athdara enters to the left a platter with food in her hands.

 

Athdara: Children, come take a seat at the table. Food is ready. GLOIN! GLOIN, DINNER IS READY!

Athdara shrugs and walks out the way she had come in.

Gloin appears from centre stage.

Gloin: Did I hear your mother, laddie? Thought she had said something about food! AH, yes! Come over, sit down. Eat!

Athdara reappears with more food on a tray.  
She takes Legolas’ plate and towers food over food before returning the plate.

Athdara: Help yourselves! Enjoy!

Gloin: Sit down, woman, you are making me nervous.

Athdara (on her way out): In a minute, Father, in a minute.

Gimli (yelling): Mommy, come, food is getting cold. Come and have dinner with us.

 

Athdara reappears with more food which she places on the table. She then goes and cuddles Gimli before sitting down.

Gimli (embarrassed): OH, no, mommy. Go sit down. Eat!

All the while Legolas is staring at his plate with the tower of food on it.

Gloin (with his mouth full): Come on, lad, eat! Legolas, right? Eat. It’s getting cold.

Gimli (whispering): Try at least a bit. I know it’s not Lembas. But its good, honestly. You can trust me!

Athdara: You need to eat something, girl. After all that long traveling. Eat.  
(turning to Gimli): She is so pale and thin, the poor thing. You should have cared better for her, my boy.

Gimli (blushing): It’s a HE, mummy. That’s not a girl.

Gloin suddenly jumps from his stool which falls with a loud thud. He bangs his fist on the table.

Gloin (angry): NOW I KNOW FROM WHERE I KNOW YOU - YOU - YOU …

Legolas, Gimli and Athdara are sitting thunderstruck.

Gloin: MIRKWOOD! YES, MIRKWOOD - WITH THORIN! THERE! THERE I KNOW YOU FROM.

Legolas desperately looks around him trying to find a hole to vanish in. Gimli jumps from his stool as well, running over to his enraged father and pushes him out of the dining room.

Athdara rises and taking Legolas in her arms.

Athdara (soothing): You should take no heed of him, little one. He’s not himself since he’d been fighting at Erebor. I think the death of his relatives has taken too much a toll. Poor man! We must just love them, don’t we, little girl? Yes, love them and care for them.  
(She looks at Legolas’ plate) But you haven’t eaten a bit, wee one. That is not good. You can’t go to bed on an empty stomach.

She reaches for the fork and begins to feed Legolas who obediently opens his mouth to be fed.

 

 

Next scene - Gimli and Gloin standing in the living room. Gloin still angry. Gimli barring the door with his body.

Gloin (shaking with anger): Lad, this Elf! He has offered us insult!

Gimli (shaking his head): No, Da! He has been well behaved since we arrived. He even bears to be called a girl all the time. I wished Mommy would stop that.

Gloin (clenching his fists): NO LAD! Not today! THERE - THEN - IN MIRKWOOD! HE HAS OFFERED US INSULT!

Gimli (obviously confused): Da, what are you talking about?

Gloin wiping his hand over his face, shakes his head and much calmer suddenly and somehow very weary.

Gloin (sad and tired voice): Lad, that is long ago. Best I let it rest. It was just - he hurt my feelings. Perhaps he didn't meant it as an insult?

Gimli (curious): Is it about what he said when he saw the locket?

Gloin (very confused): What? What? I never told you or your mother. How comes you know?  
(Scratching his head): Did he? I mean - has he told you?

Gimli nods.

Gimli (with a chuckle): I actually found the story quite amusing. I wondered why you never had mentioned it.  
But I do understand now why you didn't as you took it as an insult. From what I understood he was very young then almost a child still in their understanding. Also he never had seen a dwarf woman and child before.  
In a way, Da, it is like now - with mommy. She addresses him as a girl all the time, he could take that as an insult as well. Perhaps he does even and just doesn't mention for he believes this is our way to get back at him.

Gloin looks at his son and then down at the locket in his hands. It still holds the pictures of Gimli as a child and his mother. Gimli places his hand on his dad's shoulder and looks at the two pictures.

Gimli (with referee): You took these with you all the way to Erebor and back?

Fumbling in his pocket Gimli pulls out a similar looking locket. He flips it open and on one side there are two pictures crammed in just so showing half of the face of his dad and half of his mother's face. The other side of the locket holds a portrait of Legolas.

 

Gloin looks at his son's locket. He smiles.

Gloin: We are of the same making, lad. You and I.

Gimli nods again.

Gimli: Do you think you can forgive him? He is not all bad, you know! We are quite friends now, he and I.

Gloin nods.

Gloin: But don't tell him just yet.

Both are laughing out loud and arm over shoulders return to the dining room.

 

Next scene - Legolas is still sitting at the dining table the table cloth tied around his neck like a giant bib. Athdara is feeding him like a little infant and most of the food that was on his plate is gone. Legolas is fairly dirty around nose and mouth. As Gimli and Gloin enter the elf's eyes search begging for help for his friend's gaze, pleading to be rescued.

 

The curtain falls.

 

END OF FIRST ACT


	3. Intermission

**Fourth Age Middle-earth: Family Reunions**

**A Humoresque in two Acts**

Play based on the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Characters: Legolas, Gimli

In Erebor: Gloin, Athdara*) - Gimli’s mother

On Valinor: Elrond, Celeborn

In Minas Tirith: King Elessar, Queen Arwen

In Mirkwood: King Thranduil, Twins Elladan & Elrohir Undomiel

**  
Intermission   
**

The curtain opens. 

A large harbour with Swanships at the quays.  
The ships and the lofty, Mediterranean flair notions that this is Aqualondë in Valinor.  
Against the light of the rising sun a slim, tall figure is standing.  
From the right hand side of the stage where seemingly a street ends in the plaza before the quays another tall figure appears.

Elrond (hurrying out onto the square): Ada? Ada Celeborn, is that you?

Celeborn (turning around, beckons Elrond to come over): Elrond, it is good to see you.

Elrond: What drove you to come here in the early hours of the morning. Between Tirion and here lies quite a lengthy journey. Why had you not send for me? What is the emergency?

Celeborn (calmly): You are right it is an emergency and you need to send a message to your daughter immediately or better to Estel, her husband. The Valar have requested this.

Elrond (gasping): Then it is indeed of utter urgency. What do they want me to write?

Celeborn (sternly): Write “Beloved daughter, dear Estel, news have reached the Valar that Legolas and Gimli are planning to visit the Elfking in Mirkwood.”

Elrond (panicking): THRANDUIL?! LEGOLAS AND THE DWARF? IS LEGOLAS SUICIDAL?

Celeborn: Calm ourself, ion. This letter is ahead of the actual events. Don’t forget the Valar have foresight into the future. Carry on writing. “We are asking you to contact your brothers and to send them to Mirkwood ahead of the arrival of Legolas and the dwarf.”

Elrond shaking his head and sighing deeply.

Elrond: This will not work, ada. To send the boys will make matters worse.

Celeborn: I am shocked, ion nin. So little do you think of your own sons? I trust that my grandsons see the emergency and will act with utter diplomacy.  
Carry on writing “Your mission is to prevent Thranduil to cause bodily harm to his son and the dwarf. Furthermore you are instructed to lead both out of Mirkwood and set them on the road to Valinor. Legolas and the dwarf are summoned by the Valar to appear at Manwë’s court.” The ending I leave to you, you might as well add some words of your own.

Elrond quickly scribbles some more sentences onto the parchment, then rolls and seals it.  
Both, Elrond and Celeborn, walk over to the nearest of the Swanship at the quay. At the gangplank a tall man with a Silmaril bound to his brow is standing to whom the letter is given.

Elrond and Celeborn watch as the Swanship leaves the harbour, leaps into the air and sail away towards the East.

Curtain falls.

 

Curtain lifts.

The King’s Court in Minas Tirith.  
On the two thrones in the Hall of Kings sitting Queen Arwen and King Elessar.  
The Queen holds the scroll in her hand, Elrond’s seal broken, the scroll shows signs of having been unrolled and read.

Arwen (very angry): In all his years this must be the stupidest idea he ever had! What has gotten to his mind to do such a thing?

Elessar (with resignation): The dwarf!

Arwen: WHAT?

Elessar (sighing): It’s Gimli. I bet it was his idea even. And this particular dwarf, much like his father, doesn't take NO for an answer.

Arwen shakes her head and throws her hands in the air. She then picks up the scroll and reads on silently only to throw the scroll at Elessar in disgust.

Arwen (shouting): Elbereth Gilthoniël! Have mercy upon us. Read this, Estel, read it and weep.  
They are sending my good for nothing brothers to the rescue. To make matters worse Legolas and that dwarf are summoned to Valinor.

During Arwen’s outburst, King Elessar reads the passages in the letter.

Elessar (almost whispering): Your, em, our ada begs me to positively influence the twins, hoping they will listen to me reasoning to them.

Arwen snorts with disgust.

Arwen: As if Elladan and Elrohir ever have taken one of us seriously.

King Elessar sighs again.

Elessar: Still, dearest, we do have to try. If not to show our respect towards your, eh, our Ada and Lord Celeborn. Have you seen where Ada mentions that your grand-ada was specifically sent to make him write this message.

 

The Queen sighs but nods.

Arwen: Still I do have the feeling as if we are doing Sauron’s work.

Curtains sinks.


	4. Second Act: Mirkwood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legolas and Gimli arrive at the palace of the King of Mirkwood.

**Fourth Age Middle-earth: Family Reunions**

**A Humoresque in two Acts**

Play based on the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Characters: Legolas, Gimli

In Erebor: Gloin, Athdara*) - Gimli’s mother

On Valinor: Elrond, Celeborn

In Minas Tirith: King Elessar, Queen Arwen

In Mirkwood: King Thranduil, Twins Elladan & Elrohir Undomiel

**  
Second Act   
**

The curtain rises.

The throne camber of the subterranean palace in Mirkwood.  
On his Elkthrone launches the King one leg thrown over the arm rest. Further to his left but on the dais are the Undomiel twins, standing in the attendance of the King.

A procession of Mirkwood guards with Legolas and Gimli in their midst are marching along the main aisle of the audience, turn to the left and stop before the steps leading up to the stage.

The Captain of the guard climbs the steps. The rest waits.  
The Captain approaches Thranduil's throne which is slightly to the right off centre. The Captain kneels.

Captain (with reference): Hail, King Thranduil of Mirkwood.

The King waves his hand and upon this signal the Captain rises.

Thranduil (slightly bored): What are you bringing before us, Captain? Speak!

Captain: Our border patrol found two intruders crossing into your realm, oh King.

Thranduil (still bored): Have you interrogated them?

Captain (immediately stands attention and replies with a soldiers shout): Yes, your majesty.

Thranduil (impatient): AND ... Your report Captain!

Captain (blushing and insecure): One claims to be your son, my king. The other  
(Almost whispered) a dwarf  
(Normal voice again) says he was invited.

Thranduil (with raised voice): My son, huh? Bring them forward.

The Captain waves at the guards and Gimli and Legolas are pushed forward up the steps onto the centre of the stage so that they come to stand before the throne.

Soldier at Legolas: Bow!

He kicks him in the back of the knees and Legolas goes done kneeling. Gimli quickly drops on his knees before being treated likewise.

Thranduil pretends not to have seen, now looks at Legolas and Gimli.

Thranduil (stern): Which one is claiming to be my son, I can't tell them apart!

Legolas looks up at his father, anger building for he knows his father is treating them like this on purpose.

Captain pointing at Legolas: This one, your majesty.

Thranduil leans forward on his throne as if trying to get a better look. Elladan and Elrohir holding their hands before their faces not to show that they are giggling.  
Thranduil leans back and addresses Gimli.

Thranduil: So, who are you?

Gimli remaining on his knees, nods his head as a greeting: My name is Gimli son of Gloin.

The Captain gives him a push to the shoulder and hisses: Your majesty. The king is to be addressed as your majesty, dwarf.

Gimli: Your majesty.

Thranduil as if musing: Gimli son of Gloin, huh. Gloin, it seems like I have heard that name before.

Gimli (eager): My father was a member of Thorin's company.

Gimli receives a clap to the head by the captain.

Captain: Your majesty! Also, you only speak when the king asks you to!

Thranduil: Thorin's company, huh. The ones that were responsible for the destruction of Laketown? The ones that woke the dragon?  
His voice getting angrier now: The ones who are responsible for so many deaths amongst the people of Dale and my own folks? The ones that started the war at Erebor?  
Your father was one of them, right?! - Maybe, as you come here into my Kingdom as uninvited as they were, you would like to stay, be accommodated in the same room your father was staying?

Before Gimli can answer, Legolas places his hand on his arm. Then he rises.

Legolas: Father, don't! Please, if you want to punish someone, punish me. It was me who joined the Nine Walkers without your permission. It was me who did not return straightaway after the war ended.

Thranduil rises from his throne and takes a step forward. He bends down until he comes almost face to face with his son.

Thranduil: Who are YOU?

Legolas: I am your son, Legolas. Father ...

Thranduil raises himself and then his hand and stops Legolas from carrying on. He turns his back on Legolas.

Thranduil (contemplative): Legolas? Legolas, do I know someone of that name?

He then swiftly turns on his heel and yells at Legolas: YOU SIR, have forfeit the right to call yourself my son!

Thranduil signals the Captain of the guard: Take them from my sight!

Legolas and Gimli are pushed back down the stage and are lead away along the left aisle through the audience room and out at the back entrance.

Curtain falls.

 

Curtain opens

Next scene - Thranduil's office. Elladan and Elrohir standing near a window at the left hand side of the stage. They are having an inaudible discussion. Centre stage is the entrance door through which Thranduil now enters. The twins bow as he crosses to the right hand side of the stage where is a large wooden office desk. Thranduil walks around the desk and sits down in a leather padded chair with a tall backrest.

Thranduil: Twins, I can't tell you apart, you called for a private audience!

The twins cross the stage to where Thranduil sits and on offer sitting down on two similar chairs only with lower backrest, nod in agreement to the said.

Elladan: Greetings from our father Lord Elrond, King of Mirkwood. Our father ...  
Elrohir: Who now resides in Valinor, as your majesty might know already, asked us ...  
Elladan: To bring you news, you might want to hear.

Thranduil has listened with an increasing grin as the twins finishing the sentences for each other.

Thranduil: So, what message sends your father from the forlorn island? Ha, how should he know what I want to hear?

Elladan holding up a letter: Our father ...  
Elrohir pokes his brother with his elbow: Nevermind Bro, just give him that damn letter.

The letter exchanges hands, the twins get up, bowing and begging their leave. They exit through the door centre stage. As soon as the door shuts Thranduil rips the letter open by breaking the seal that bears his own father's arms.

Thranduil paces across the stage whilst reading the letter. Then he returns to his desk, sits down the letter in his hand shaking. He places his free hand before his face and starts sobbing.

Curtain falls.

 

Curtain opens.

Next scene - In the dungeon of the Mirkwood palace, Gimli is sitting in the same goal that held his father imprisoned. Legolas is incarcerated in the one next to Gimli's.

Legolas (sad): Don't blame it on me, friend Gimli, I have told you often enough that this was no good idea.

Gimli (grim): A father that abolishes his only son, what kind of father is this?

Legolas: I cannot even blame him for being angry. I was only to go to Imladris to report Gollum's flight and then to return. It is me who is the heartless son! I didn't even send word after the battle at the Gate or later when we were visiting the Glittering Caves. Fast forward three years and now it springs to my mind to return home, if I was he I would be more than furious.

Gimli listens silently, nods his head twice at the heard.

Gimli: It never occurred to me that you should have headed for home. I thought you had left words, like I did.

He pulls letters from his parents out of his tunic. Opens one and reads.

Legolas: You contacted your parents? - How?

Gimli raises his head: What? What did you say? Sorry, I was reading one of my parents' letters.

Legolas (muttering to himself): He has even letters from home.

Gimli: We all somewhat stayed in touch. The ones that had someone left behind that is. Aragorn, Boromir, even the Hobbits. Elrond was sending the messages on. I thought you had done so as well!

A guard arrives, the keys to the prison cells ringing at his belt as he descends stairs reaching in from the right hand side of the stage.

The guard fumbles for the key to Gimli's cell and opens the door, he then moves on to the cell that holds Legolas and opens it as well.

Guard: By order of the King, the prisoners Gimli son of Gloin and Legolas of The Mirkwood realm are to be released.

Curtain closes.

 

Curtain opens.

Next scene - Mirkwood forest near Amon Lac former Dol Guldur. Elladan, Elrohir, Gimli and Legolas on horses riding south, heading for Minas Tirith.

Gimli (murmuring into his beard): I never thought that I had to thank an Elf for my life.

Elladan: Two Elves, actually, Master dwarf.

Legolas raises his eyebrow: I thought this was your father's doing?

Elrohir chuckles.

Elladan: Well, there was a letter from granddad Celeborn and Ada, so much for sure.

Elrohir: But that was addressed to Estel and our sister.

Legolas: I don't understand? My Ada told me you had given him a letter from Valinor, written by granddad Oropher.

Elrohir bursts into laughter and gets a look from Elladan. Legolas watches the twins even more confused.

Gimli scratching his beard: Does that mean you have tricked King Thranduil? He will not like that when he finds out. Thinking of this, we should hurry to leave his realm, me thinks.

Elrohir still chuckling: Don't worry Master dwarf, we have left the Woodland realm hours ago. This part of Mirkwood belongs to Lorien.

Gimli with a dreamy look on his face: Lorien! Ah! I remember it well. Does the Lady Fair still lives in these forests?

Elladan: Grandmother has left Middle-earth, Master dwarf. She now resides in Valinor together with our Ada, our mother and Grand-Ada Celeborn.

Gimli sighs and is lost in his memories. The twins look at him puzzled and it's Legolas' turn to chuckle.

Legolas: Gimli has met your grandmother once and I fear that she has stolen his heart. He carries a token to his love over his own heart as a reminder. Your grandmother gave this token to him.

Elladan curiously: A token? What is it? Why ...  
Elrohir: ... Don't we know anything about this?

Legolas: Lady Galadriel presented Gimli with three strands of her own hair.

The twins whistle impressed and give the dwarf a stare.

Elladan: Astonishing! Especially ...  
Elrohir: ... Considering that she refused ...

Legolas: I know! I heard of this story.

All three stare at Gimli who is still in a world of his own.

Curtain falls.

 

Curtain opens.

Next scene - in the throne hall of King Thranduil. A bird, sitting on one of the branches of the Elkthrone, tweets a message to the king.  
Thranduil paces before his throne obviously outraged.

Thranduil: A FAKE! The damn twins, I should have known better to trust them.

The bird carries on tweeting.

Thranduil breaks down and cries.

The bird changes shape and Manwë, The Lord of the Valar stands before Thranduil who remains sunken into a heap on the floor.

Manwë: Rise, King of the Woodland realm and rejoice. Even though the letter was false, the news it carried is true.

Thranduil lifts his head and stares at the Vala in disbelieve.

Thranduil (between sobs): But ... But neither Ada nor my wife have ever travelled to Valinor. How can they then be accepted?

Manwë: Your father as your wife have been killed by the servants of evil, enemies to the Valar. Both have withstood the temptation to avoid death by giving in to the evil spirit. Therefore we, the Valar have decided to honour them by calling them upon us after they had been recovered in Mandos.

Thranduil looking up at Manwë: Thank you. Shall your names be blessed forever. Now I shall faint a happy elf.

Thranduil suddenly remembers that he had given a letter to his wife and his Ada to Legolas, instructing him to sail to the West. He begins to laugh.

Thranduil: Forgive me, oh Manwë, but I just remembered that my letter I handed to my son to deliver to my Ada will not have been written in vain.

Manwë smiles down at the king who still lies at his feet.

Manwë: Your letter will be outrun by yourself, Thranduil, for I have come to take you to Valinor myself.

Thranduil pales and stammers: What about my people? Who will look after my people?

Manwë smiles even more.

Manwë: Don't worry about your people, they will be well looked after. They have always been in the eyes of the Valar.  
He continues before Thranduil can speak: I know what you are going to say, that they never had gone to the West when summoned. Still they are the firstborn of Iluvatar and therefore our charge.  
Again Thranduil opens his mouth to reply but Manwë carries on: I know it might have looked at times that we had forsaken you. We never did, but we had to make sure to look after so many things and foremost to keep Melkor the Morgoth in captivity.

Thranduil begins to understand and nods his head in recognition.

Manwë smiles: Make ready, King Thranduil. Say your farewells. Prepare for what you believe needs preparation. I shall come for you tomorrow at the same time and we shall travel to Valinor.

Manwë turns himself into the bird again and flies out of the palace.

Thranduil rises from the floor and hollers commands. The guards come running and he gives them inaudibly instructions. The curtain falls as this goes on.

**End of Second Act**


	5. Epilogue

**Fourth Age Middle-earth: Family Reunions**

**A Humoresque in two Acts**

Play based on the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Characters: Legolas, Gimli

In Erebor: Gloin, Athdara*) - Gimli’s mother

On Valinor: Elrond, Celeborn

In Minas Tirith: King Elessar, Queen Arwen

In Mirkwood: King Thranduil, Twins Elladan & Elrohir Undomiel

**  
Epilogue   
**

Curtain opens.

Celeborn, Elrond and Thranduil are standing at the quay of the harbour in Aqualondë. All three staring out towards the East.

Celeborn: Are you sure they are coming today?

Thranduil nods his head without turning. Elrond looks at Celeborn.

Elrond: That is what Arwen has written. Or rather she has given us the date the two left.

Celeborn almost to himself: Let's hope that Ossë was kind towards them then.

Thranduil slightly annoyed: Why should the Valar fall back on their word?

Celeborn blushes and Elrond shrugs his shoulders.

All three turn back to gaze out at the horizon.

Thranduil shouting. His voice filled with joy and relieve: THERE! Over there, it's them! They have come. They have arrived!

 

A ship docks at the quay. Off step Legolas and Gimli. Thranduil, Celeborn and Elrond rush forward to bid them welcome.

**THE END**


End file.
